Hello everyone,
I have a question which was sparked by the old "check your O-rings" thread. When I last changed my oil a few hundred miles back, I saw that two washers came with the oil filter. One was a metallic silver, and the other metallic brass. Does anyone know what these are for... I did not see any of these washers in other Oil Filters I have bought (Hastings). This was my first time buying the filter from the dealer (just to see what they sell).

What I did was replace my drain plug washer with the new brass one and put the silver one on the end of the stem of the oil filter housing. I am not sure if this is correct. Please advise.

I was also wondering how normal it is for Diesel engines to lose oil pressure at idle but regain it upon acceleration? This has happened to me recently and I am not sure if it is because of this washer business or what... I just started using Liqui Moly 15W-40 from Valvoline 20W-50. Any comments or help you could provide would be much appreciated.

SB

PS: I have a 1981 W123.123 240D with a 616.912 manual transmission engine. Thanks.

There are two washers because that filter is used in several different engine models, some use the copper washer on the drain plug, others use the soft metal one. This washer does not go on the filter top stem.

When the engine is warm, it is normal for the oil pressure to drop at idle. If the pressure jumps to the peg upon acceleration, there is nothing to worry about.

Ensure that the oil you use has a "C" rating. The latest is CH-4, but any C rating such as CJ will be adequate.

Have a great day,

Thanks Larry!! You've answered all my questions in one clean swoop. I'll take that other washer off of my filter stem before I drive it again. Thanks again.

SB

I am flattered, I am adequete!!

New question along the same vein. At steady speed (60mph) what should the oil pressure be? Above idle my gauge is pegged while at idle it hangs around 30 psi.

Thanks,

Mine stays at 3 bar when I zoom down the HWY. The owners manual says it should be at idle 0.3bar/4.4psi if engine is at operating temperature. Pressure must rise immediately upon acceleration.

I stand corrected!

[Edited by GA-W123 Diesel on 03-10-2001 at 09:05 PM]

__________________
2000 Ford 7.3 Powerstroke 4x4
2006 Mazda Tribute
1983 Black 300 D (donated to charity)
1993 Teal 300 D (160K) Sold
"I love the smell of burnt diesel fuel in the morning, it smells like ....VICTORY"

Semper Fidelis
USMC 1973-1976

Panzer, your oil pressure sounds fine. It should be pegged except when the engine is at idle.

__________________
Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic

I was about to write and ask a question about oil. In my car, the oil pressure gauge is pegged all the time. I had not checked the oil since I bought it about 6 weeks ago (the fellow I bought it from told me he had just changed the oil). Anyway, last night I checked the oil and much to my dismay found that it was about 2 qts. low! I immediately went looking for Diesel Oil and found some stuff at Advanced Auto Parts. Anyway, I hate to have run low and add this oil under emergency conditions. My question is, will any properly rated oil work well in my car and secondly, what sortt of oil consumption is "normal" between oil changes in a car like mine? (190D '84 230K miles)

Thanks in advance

on 1985 300D turbos - One I drove had 275k miles - at idle it was at 2 bar, when going it stayed pegged out. My daily driver (218k miles) drops to approximately 1.5 bar and pegs out once off of idle. Another thing I noticed the 275k miler temp stays around 80 C and my daily driver stays around 95 C. I believe (with my limited knowledge of the diesel) that the higher temp. is probably better.
Jim
'85 300D
'95 E320
'97 Honda CRV (wifes)

My 190D runs around 40° C most of the time. Too damned cold for the heater to work well even when it's in the 30s and 40s. I put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator as a half way measure and the temp went to around 80° C with the outside temp in the 40s - 50s. I also noted that my oil pressure goes to around 2 bar at idle but pegs right away under any higher rpm. I also noticed that the oil is horribly black and nasty. Is this normal for these cars?

89-190D,
it is not normal for your temperature to never get above 40 deg C.

You should be by 60 deg C within a mile or two, and 80 deg C after another mile or two after that.

Sounds like you have a bad thermostat. Mine never got above 60 deg, except once after like 8 miles (must've unstuck itself one last time).

My fuel economy suffered by 4 or 5 mpg that tankful til I got it fixed.

__________________
Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic

is normal for the diesel - even soon after an oil change.
Jim
'85 300D
'95 E320
'97 CRV (wifes car)

GA-W123: are your gauges in English units? I have yet to see an older Mercedes with anything but SI units (speedometers excluded). Perhaps I have not driven enough Mercedes.

__________________
Ben

The MBs:
1976 300D (W115) - 330K and still going (sort of)
1991 300D 2.5 Turbo - Sold at 221K
1983 280SEL - Sold at 206K
1981 300SD - Sold at 232K